City 6 Roundup: No. 14 Villanova romps past Saint Joseph's, 98-68

Villanova’s Darrun Hillard (4) drives to the basket past Saint Joseph’s Daryus Quaries (11) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)

Villanova’s James Bell shoots the ball over Saint Joseph’s Ronald Roberts, Jr. (13) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013, in Philadelphia. Villanova won 98-68. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)

Darrun Hilliard scored 14 points to help the Wildcats (9-0) win their second game this week since joining The AP Top 25. Pinkston and Hilliard pounded the Hawks from inside and out, and the Wildcats dominated the second half to thump their city rival.

Langston Galloway led the Hawks (4-4) with 18 points and DeAndre Bembry had 17.

The Hawks hung around early with some quick 3-pointers before falling into a shooting funk, finishing at 37 percent overall.

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The Wildcats kept rolling this week since wins over nationally-ranked Kansas and Iowa secured their Battle 4 Atlantis championship.

Long billed as Philadelphia’s “Holy War,” the city rivalry game was played on Saint Joseph’s campus for only the second time in a series history that stretches to the 1920s. The cozy 4,200-seat fieldhouse was rocking from warm-ups and scalpers were doing brisk business outside for the Big 5 matchup.

Villanova is only about 7 miles away from Saint Joseph’s and plenty of Wildcats fans found their way inside Hagan Arena.

They had plenty to cheer after the opening minutes.

Bembry, a freshman forward, is widely considered one of coach Phil Martelli’s top recruits in years. With an Oscar Gamble afro that adds a couple of more inches to his 6-foot-6 frame, he had Hawk Hill rocking with a pair of 3s that gave Saint Joseph’s a small, early lead.

Galloway buried a 3 for a 28-23 lead, and pounded his chest toward an appreciative crowd, pumping up the Hawks for a potential upset.

The good times ended in a hurry. The Hawks simply had no answer for a Villanova offense that used a series of backdoor cuts and putbacks to methodically take the lead. Plus, the Wildcats were smart and safe with the ball, committing only one turnover in the half and five for the game.

Villanova missed 11 of 14 3-point attempts in the half — but hit one huge momentum builder in the final minutes. Kris Jenkins connected after Villanova grabbed two offensive rebounds on the same series, and the Wildcats took a 39-35 lead into halftime.

Hilliard and Pinkston hits 3s during an 8-0 run to open the second half, 15-2 spanning the first, to build some breathing room. Bell hit two straight 3-pointers and Pinkston followed with a three-point play for a 59-40 lead and put this one away.

Saint Joseph’s failed to make a 3 in the second half after it made four in the first.

Bell made 5 of 10 3s and Pinkston was tough in the paint for a 10-for-15 shooting night, and Villanova hit a season-high scoring total.

The rivalry is heated, not necessarily nasty; note the fan signs: Saint Joseph’s had one that read, “The Pope is a Jesuit,” and Villanova countered with “Jesus Loves Us More.”

Texas 81, Temple 80 OT

PHILADELPHIA — Javan Felix hit a three-pointer with nine seconds to play in overtime and Texas topped Temple 81-80 on Saturday at Wells Fargo Center.

The Longhorns (8-1) blew a 16-point lead to find themselves trailing with less than three minutes to play. Felix’s game-winner was his second attempt, as his runner at the buzzer in regulation clanged off the rim.

Temple, down 48-37 at the half, out-scored Texas 21-10 over 12 minutes of regulation to force overtime. The Owls tied the game in regulation at 68 and 70 before finally taking their first lead of the game, 71-70, on an Anthony Lee free throw with 3:01 to play. Lee led all scorers and rebounders with 23 points and 14 rebounds.

Sophomore forward Dan Dingle once again put Temple (4-4) ahead with 44 seconds to play in overtime on a pair of free throws, but the Owls couldn’t hang on.

Drexel 75, Tennessee State 61

PHILADELPHIA — Frantz Massenat scored 21 points to lead Drexel over Tennessee State 75-61 on Saturday.

NEW YORK — Jerrell Wright was 8 of 11 from the field and matched his career high with 21 points, helping La Salle beat Stony Brook 65-57 on Saturday in the Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden.

Wright, who came in averaging 11.4 points, had six points in La Salle’s 13-4 run to open the second half that tied the score at 35. The Explorers (5-4), who had lost two of three, broke the game open late with an 8-0 run that gave them a 60-50 lead with 59 seconds to go.

Steve Zack had 11 points and 10 rebounds for La Salle. Jameel Warney had 15 points for the Seawolves (6-4), who had won three of four.